News (engl.)

The Germany U21 national side will play their first home match of the 2024/2025 season on Friday, 11th October, when head coach Antonio Di Salvo's team take on Bulgaria in the penultimate European Championship qualifier at the Jahnstadion in Regensburg (kick-off 18:00 CEST). The final match of European Championship qualifying then arrives four days later on Tuesday, 15th October in Lodz, where Germany will face Poland.

“We’re looking forward to these two crucial games. In our home match in Regensburg we are aiming to utilise the support of our fans to help secure our ticket to the 2025 European Championship in Slovakia,” said an eager Antonio Di Salvo. “Bulgaria and Poland are the two strongest opponents in our group, so we want to give our best showing in order to secure European Championship qualification.”

The squad for the two matches includes two players receiving their first call-ups, Paul Wanner (1. FC Heidenheim) and Hendry Blank (RB Salzburg), as well as six players returning to the squad. Goalkeeper Noah Atubolu (SC Freiburg) and defenders Leandro Morgalla (RB Salzburg) and Tom Rothe (1. FC Union Berlin) are back in as well as two midfielders, Brajan Gruda (Brighton & Hove Albion) and Umut Tohumcu (TSG Hoffenheim), who have now recovered from injuries. Maximilian Beier (Borussia Dortmund) also returns and will strengthen the U21s for the two vital qualifiers after discussion with senior national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann.

“We’re looking forward to getting to know Paul and Hendry within the remit of the U21 squad and hope to integrate them quickly. Our returning players will provide further strength with the quality they bring. Using our pre-existing core group as a basis, we aim to quickly develop into a unit once again and make the final step towards the EUROS in the upcoming games,” explained Di Salvo regarding the team’s collective target.

Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund, thigh injury), Merlin Röhl (SC Freiburg, syndesmosis strain), Linus Gechter (Hertha BSC, undergoing shoulder surgery), and those still in recovery training, Colin Kleine-Bekel (Holstein Kiel) and Jamil Siebert (Fortuna Düsseldorf), will not be available, as well as Youssoufa Moukoko (OGC Nice).

Head coach Di Salvo: “I have a good relationship with Youssoufa founded in frequent discussion. He is and remains an important player for us. His top priority at the moment is to develop into a regular starting player at Nice, which is why we have decided in consultation with Youssoufa and his club coach that he will remain in Nice for the time being. We also hope that all injured players return to fitness quickly and that the players make good progress in their recovery training.”

Germany currently top Group D of European U21 Championship qualifying with 22 points, followed by Poland in second place with 18 points. The nine group winners and the three best group runners-up will qualify for the tournament finals, which will take place in Slovakia in 2025. The six remaining group runners-up will compete in play-offs to determine the last three finalists.